CBI raids 19 places in Jharkhand Rajya Sabha poll case

Ranchi, June 13 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Wednesday conducted searches at 19 places, including houses of two legislators, in connection with horse trading linked to the Jharkhand Rajya Sabha poll, officials here said.

According to sources in the CBI, the raids are being conducted in Ranchi, Dumka, Kolkata, and Bhubneshwar among other places. The houses of independent legislators Chamra Linda and Bandhu Tirkey were searched in Ranchi.

“CBI team early morning searched my house. The search was related to the Rajya Sabha poll,” said Chamra Linda to reporters.

The CBI team has during the raids taken the details of account numbers, investments, and bank transactions of a few people.

The CBI May 18 had conducted searches at 39 places of 14 legislators, including Labour Minister Chandra Prakash Chaudhary in the horse trading case.

The March 30 Rajya Sabha poll from Jharkhand was countermanded after Rs.2.15 crore in cash was seized from the vehicle of a relative of an independent candidate on the outskirts of Ranchi.

The poll was rescheduled and took place May 3.

Sources say the CBI said the searches are based on the counting of ballots March 30.

The legislators are said to have crossed their party line to vote in the Rajya Sabha poll.